{"id":41593,"date":"2007-09-24T01:23:04","date_gmt":"2007-09-23T17:23:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/discovery-arrives-in-the-vab-one-month-to-sts-120-launch\/"},"modified":"2007-09-24T01:23:04","modified_gmt":"2007-09-23T17:23:04","slug":"discovery-arrives-in-the-vab-one-month-to-sts-120-launch","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/discovery-arrives-in-the-vab-one-month-to-sts-120-launch\/","title":{"rendered":"Discovery arrives in the VAB \u2013 one month to STS-120 launch"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>This time next month shuttle Discovery will hopefully be making her opening launch attempt for STS-120\u2019s mission to the International Space Station (ISS).\n<\/p>\n<p>  A key milestone in the preparations for that launch has taken place, with the rollover from her \u201cbarn\u201d \u2013 OPF-3 (Orbiter Processing Facility) \u2013 for stacking with the awaiting twin Solid Rocket Boosters and External Tank inside the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB).\n<\/p>\n<p><em><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"129\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" src=\"http:\/\/forum.nasaspaceflight.com\/forums\/get-attachment.asp?action=view&amp;attachmentid=13910\" width=\"600\" align=\"left\" vspace=\"5\" border=\"0\/\"><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em>**The most comprehensive collection&nbsp;of&nbsp;Shuttle, Ares, Orion&nbsp;and ISS&nbsp;related presentations and mission documentation, plus expansive daily processing documentation and updates&nbsp;are&nbsp;<font color=\"#0000ff\"><em>available to download&nbsp;on L2<\/em><\/font><font color=\"#0000ff\"><em>&nbsp;**<\/em><\/font><em><font color=\"#ff0000\"><\/font><\/em><\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"162\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" src=\"http:\/\/forum.nasaspaceflight.com\/forums\/get-attachment.asp?action=view&amp;attachmentid=30174\" width=\"237\" align=\"left\" vspace=\"5\" border=\"0\/\">Extensive STS-120 Special Section on L2 now live,&nbsp;including Flight Plans, Handbooks, Manuals, documentation and presentations. STS-122&nbsp;to STS-127&nbsp;documentation already available.<\/p>\n<p>STS-120 L2 Special includes 19 MOD Flight Readiness Review Presentations (see sample left)&nbsp;\u2013 the most expansive overview of the mission.&nbsp;<br \/>L2 is the world\u2019s only \u2018as it happens\u2019 area on the net that gives you a seat next to the shuttle engineers and managers, in real time.<\/p>\n<p><em><font color=\"#0000ff\">**LIVE news updates on Discovery&nbsp;STS-120&nbsp;ROLLOVER**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><font color=\"#0000ff\">**LIVE news updates on&nbsp;Endeavour&nbsp;STS-123 Processing**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n<p>Aerospace &amp; Defense<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>NASA mission patches<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>SpaceX<path d=\"M7.59009 18.59L9.00009 20L17.0001 12L9.00009 4L7.59009 5.41L14.1701 12\" style=\"animation: initial !important; background: initial !important; border: 0px !important; box-shadow: none !important; color: inherit !important; cursor: inherit !important; direction: inherit !important; display: inline !important; fill: currentcolor !important; filter: initial !important; float: none !important; margin: 0px !important; opacity: initial !important; outline: 0px !important; overflow: initial !important; padding: 0px !important; stroke: initial !important; transform: initial !important; vertical-align: initial !important; visibility: inherit !important;\"><\/path>\n<p>     (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/p>\n<p><em><font color=\"#0000ff\">**LIVE news updates on Atlantis&nbsp;STS-122&nbsp;Processing**<\/font><\/em><\/p>\n<p><em><u>Article:<\/u><\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"125\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" src=\"http:\/\/forum.nasaspaceflight.com\/forums\/get-attachment.asp?action=view&amp;attachmentid=9361\" width=\"125\" align=\"left\" vspace=\"5\" border=\"0\/\"><\/p>\n<p>Preparations have proceeded without a hitch over the past 24 hours, with operations to lower Discovery on to the OTS (Orbiter Transport System) on Saturday now completed. The OTS, a flatbed-style vehicle, will carry Discovery on&nbsp;the short trip to the VAB\u2019s transfer aisle, before she\u2019s lifted over to High Bay 1 for mating.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Weight and CG (Center of Gravity) completed. RH (Right Hand) main landing gear wheel and tire installation complete. S5023 orbiter mate to OTS call to stations was conducted at 10am Saturday morning,\u2019 noted processing information, concluding the final procedures required ahead of rollover. <\/p>\n<p>Scheduled for 8am, but delayed to around&nbsp;midday, the weather, forecast for the area on Sunday delayed rollover&nbsp;by around four hours, before first motion at 12:26pm.<\/p>\n<p>\u2018Roll to the VAB set for 08:00 Sunday (local time). Orbiter sling lift crew should be on site at 06:00,\u2019 added processing information late Saturday. \u2018Orbiter prime lift crew should be on site at 09:00. Call to stations for S0004 in the VAB is set for 07:30 Sunday.\u2019<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"130\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" src=\"http:\/\/forum.nasaspaceflight.com\/forums\/get-attachment.asp?action=view&amp;attachmentid=13815\" width=\"200\" align=\"left\" vspace=\"5\" border=\"0\/\"><font face=\"Verdana\" color=\"#0000ff\"><em>**Ride home through the fire,&nbsp;sparks&nbsp;and plasma of re-entry with Atlantis, Discovery and Endeavour. FOUR&nbsp;Stunning high quality&nbsp;2hr, 355-400mb Camcorder and HUD videos \u2013 from payload bay closure \u2013 through re-entry with a&nbsp;astronaut held camcorder video \u2013&nbsp;to post landing \u2013 several more videos showing landing from 90,000 ft also available \u2013 Plus the newly added HALO II Re-entry video**<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n<p>Getting to this point in the first place was <font color=\"#0000ff\">the result of a superb engineering effort<\/font> that completed repairs to leaky strut seals on Discovery Right Hand Main Landing Gear (RH MLG). <\/p>\n<p>The schedule initially pointed to rollover being delayed to the end of the month because of the problem, but a team of United Space Alliance and Goodrich engineers completed repairs days ahead of the timeline. <\/p>\n<p>The successful conclusion to the repairs came via follow-up leak tests, ordered to verify the health of the new seals on the strut. Engineers reported that the diaper placed around the strut appeared to be completely clean during pressurization cycles, as opposed the red streak of hydraulic fluid that had leaked on to the cloth when the old seals started to leak, as seen on pre-repair images of the landing gear. <\/p>\n<p>The successful leak tests allowed operations to proceed, with the lowering of Discovery on to the OTS, completed by Saturday evening. <\/p>\n<p>Discovery heads to the VAB with just one day of contingency remaining in the schedule for an October 23 launch \u2013 though this target is still very much achievable. While the window reaches out into November, the importance of keeping Discovery\u2019s flow on target also relates to the next mission due to launch from the Kennedy Space Center, STS-122. <\/p>\n<p>Stacking of the STS-122 boosters began this weekend, <font color=\"#0000ff\">thanks to a plan drawn out by shuttle managers <\/font>that accelerated work on the High Bay 3 doors, thus allowing the stacking operation to start next door to Discovery\u2019s mating in High Bay 1. Had STS-122\u2019s booster stacking been delayed until Discovery was on her way to the pad, STS-122 would have pushed out of its early December launch window. <\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#ff0000\"><em>**Book your flight and\/or hotel for STS-120 and\/or STS-122\u2019s&nbsp;launch, call today 1-877-291-0068**<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n<p>Such is the tight timeline for STS-122 preparations, any impacts to Discovery\u2019s flow&nbsp;may be directly passed on to Atlantis\u2019 preparations \u2013 something that is undesirable, due to the short seven day launch window for STS-122 in December. <\/p>\n<p>This was pre-empted by shuttle manager Wayne Hale, when STS-120 looked like it was going to suffer a considerable&nbsp;delay due to the problem with the landing gear. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018ISS scrubbed work on orbit that drives time between STS-120 and STS-122,\u2019 noted Hale in processing information. \u2018Any delays to STS-120 are probably on day-for-day slip for STS-122. This is not desirable, and we run out of beta window about December 13. <\/p>\n<p>\u2018(Mr. Hale) advises not to make travel plans for end of year holidays, as we could have a launch immediately after New Year. Will see how this works out.\u2019 <\/p>\n<p>However, given that Hale was speaking&nbsp;before the early completion of the repair work to Discovery\u2019s RH MLG, STS-122 remains solid for its early December launch target, as does STS-120, with a rollout to Pad 39A in one week\u2019s time allowing a viable shot at being ready for the opening of the launch window on October 23.<\/p>\n<p><em><font color=\"#0000ff\">L2 members<\/font>: All documentation \u2013 from which the above article has quoted snippets \u2013 is available in full in the related L2 sections, updated live.<\/em><\/p>\n<p><font face=\"Arial\" size=\"2\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" height=\"60\" alt=\"\" hspace=\"5\" src=\"http:\/\/forum.nasaspaceflight.com\/forums\/get-attachment.asp?action=view&amp;attachmentid=12993\" width=\"468\" align=\"left\" vspace=\"5\" border=\"0\/\"><\/font><\/p>\n<p><em><font face=\"Arial\" color=\"#0000ff\" size=\"2\">**STARLIGHT: NEW STS-117 MISSION&nbsp;REVIEW&nbsp;MUSIC&nbsp;VIDEO**&nbsp;\u2013 STS-118 Mission review video also available.<\/font><\/em><font face=\"Arial\"><\/font><font size=\"2\"><em>&nbsp;<\/em><\/font><\/p>\n<p><font color=\"#ff0000\">**ROCK YOU LIKE A HURRICANE: STS-117 MISSION&nbsp;REVIEW&nbsp;MUSIC&nbsp;VIDEO \u2013 AS SEEN BY THE STS-117 CREW!!**<\/font>&nbsp;-.<br \/><font size=\"1\">(<em>Video section is FREE, but you need to sign up as a member of the forum to enter the video section of the site. We only use your e-mail to send you your password. It will not be used for spam etc.)<\/em><\/font><em><\/em><em><font face=\"Arial\" size=\"2\"><br \/><\/font><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This time next month shuttle Discovery will hopefully be making her opening launch attempt for STS-120\u2019s mission to the International Space Station (ISS). A key milestone in the preparations for that launch has taken place, with the rollover from her \u201cbarn\u201d \u2013 OPF-3 (Orbiter Processing Facility) \u2013 for stacking with the awaiting twin Solid Rocket [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-41593","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41593"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=41593"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/41593\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=41593"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=41593"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=41593"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}